Cheap flights to Oregon from £224

Sip a little wine under one of the covered bridges, or dine outside among the rugged mountain tops and long beaches. Behind you are lush fields of green and sagebrush swaying in the wind. You’d never guess you were in Oregon.

Once a promised land to the pioneers, today’s Oregon is the epitome of the American lifestyle. Visitors booking flights to Oregon will experience a little bit of everything from every region in the US. Covered bridges and steepled churches are quaint among the backdrop of rolling mountains, volcanoes and lava fields. Take a walk where the cowboys and Indians fought along the coastline and walk through the wheat fields and berry gardens that help boost Oregon’s economy. Travellers with an appreciation for wine will book flights to Oregon for a visit to some of the nation’s best vineyards. Take a step away from the serenity of Oregon’s coast and head to the city for an urban escape. Whatever the reason for visiting Oregon, it’s sure to be memorable.

Oregon climate

Oregon is split into two climate zones by the north-south Cascade Mountains. In general, west of the Cascades gets fairly heavy rain and moderate temperatures. East of the Cascades, the high desert can have very cold winters with considerable snowfall in the upper elevations. Summer days are very hot and the nights cool. Annual rainfall ranges from less than 20cm (8 inches) in the plateau regions to 508cm (200 inches) in the upper western Coast Range. The highest elevations of the Cascades receive 762-1,400cm (300 to 550 inches) of snow annually.

What is good to know if travelling to Oregon?

• The Sea Lion Caves in Florence is the largest sea cave in the world.
• Heceta Head Lighthouse is beautifully situated in Lane County, America’s most photographed lighthouse (it is claimed) sits on a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean and beach below.
• It is said that Oregon has more ghost towns than any other state in America. These ghost towns don’t have spooks, they are rather towns that have either been abandoned or are greatly diminished. Shaniko is Oregon’s best known ghost town.
• There are several places along the Oregon coast from which to watch whales including Winchester Bay. There are two times of year to see the whales. During the winter migration (see the whales between December 26 and the start of January) the mammals travel south to the breeding grounds in Baja, California. The spring migration occurs in March and is when the whales swim by with their calves on their way to the Alaskan feeding grounds.
• The Willamette Valley is the heart of Oregon’s agriculture country. During spring and summer, roadside stands and farmers’ markets in the towns sell produce. There are more than 200 wineries producing several types of wine including Pinot noir, Pinot gris and Riesling.
• Mount Hood is the highest mountain in Oregon and is easily accessible from Portland. There is just a 90-minute drive to get to the skiing or snowboarding areas.